I hear you, submitter. R.E.M. used to be my favorite band, but pretty much everything after "Monster" sucked balls. Large, sweaty balls.

Trivia Jockey: I hear you, submitter. R.E.M. used to be my favorite band, but pretty much everything after "Monster" Green sucked balls. Large, sweaty balls.

There you go.

I liked REM better when they didn't "Rock".

Submitter is shooting kittens in a barrel.

Trivia Jockey: but pretty much everything after "Monster" sucked balls

Sheeit..."New Adventures in HiFi" is easily one of their greatest albums.

I would very much like for this to be true.

Anyway, the two latest best REM albums were by Robyn Hickcock.

Especially "Ole Tarantula." Peter Buck kicks ass on that CD. The songs sound like stuff REM should be doing...

Errr...

Hickock=HITCHCOCK

When has REM ever "rocked," and when has anyone ever like them for it?

I like my REM whiny, sad, nasally, and in refreshingly tiny doses.

Kyosuke: When has REM ever "rocked," and when has anyone ever like them for it?

"Radio Free Europe" ? (^)

New Adventures rules.

I'd give Up and Reveal 8.5/10 each.

Around the Sun sucked though, but it didn't suck as much as the subby does.

Watchman: Kyosuke: When has REM ever "rocked," and when has anyone ever like them for it?

"Radio Free Europe" ? (^)

...no, that was pretty gay, NTTAWWT.

In the last few R.E.M. threads I've seen a lot of praise for New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Didn't grab me at all when I bought it. Maybe I should give it another listen.

/Didn't care for anything after Automatic for the People.

I dunno, old bands can sometimes surprise you. I wasn't expecting much from the last Depeche Mode and it turned out to be great.

I was never a big REM fan, but, living in Athens, I appreciate them a lot more than I used to. Before they were pop, they really were a pioneering alternative band, years before "alternative" became a catch-all genre.

Some random song off of Monster came on the Music channels on TV a few days ago.

I think they were playing Crush with Eyeliner. Cant remember.

But it made me reminiscent of all the 80s and 90s alternative and how good some of it was.

Much like grunge killed off hair metal, I wish 90s-style alternative come back to murder this whiny emo tripe thats on the radio now.

The Pixies > Any moronic emo band

Get off the side of the pretentious turnpike Micheal.
And take those shiny happy people with you assh*le.

whidbey: Anyway, the two latest best REM albums were by Robyn Hickcock.

Especially "Ole Tarantula." Peter Buck kicks ass on that CD. The songs sound like stuff REM should be doing...

This.

Ditto for Buck's recent-ish work with the Minus 5.

I basically gave up after "monster", and even THAT wasn't that good. Ok, it was pretty ok/good.
I've heard good things about "reveal", though.

"Automatic for the People" and "Lifes Rich Pageant" FTW!!!
I find that most of "Murmur" is overrated [basically everything after the first three or four songs].
And I listened to "Fables of the reconstruction" the other day and It was pretty mediocre/not the greatest. Kinda boring, and Stipes singing was better on "Lifes" [hell, even "murmur"] anyway.

only song i like by them is Driver 8....

SoMuchFire: In the last few R.E.M. threads I've seen a lot of praise for New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Didn't grab me at all when I bought it. Maybe I should give it another listen.

It's incredible, the songwriting and the overall dynamic.

I also have a lot of respect for it because the tracks were recorded at sound checks during the Monster tour and there's one track recorded in their dressing room. They could have blown a bunch of cash and come up with a really slick sequel to Monster, but they didn't. And it rocks. Harder than anything they've put out since.

REM died when Berry left, in my mind.

Rumor has it they took delivery of new superseventeens.

Link (new window)

deevo: REM died when Berry left, in my mind.

They sure didn't sound dead to me the two times I saw them with different drummers. Joey Waronker kicked total ass on the "Up" tour and Bill Rieflin is definitely one of the greatest drummers in the business right now...

Although I agree he shouldn't have just left the band. If drumming was a health risk, they could have still put him on keyboards or something on "Up."

whidbey: Although I agree he shouldn't have just left the band. If drumming was a health risk, they could have still put him on keyboards or something on "Up."

Drumming as a health risk? Not trying to be snarky - that's the first time I heard that. Details?

deevo: REM died when Berry left, in my mind.

^^^^
This

'Rock' hasn't 'rocked' in about 30 years.

Sing-songy whiny pop tunes is what passes as 'rock' to most gen-xyz's

/With rare exceptions.
//If it don't rock and it don't roll, then it AIN'T

OldManDownDRoad: Drumming as a health risk? Not trying to be snarky - that's the first time I heard that.

I guess you have never heard the story of John "Stumpy" Pepys.

OldManDownDRoad: Drumming as a health risk? Not trying to be snarky - that's the first time I heard that. Details?

He had an aneurysm and quit the band after "New Adventures"

RockIsDead: 'Rock' hasn't 'rocked' in about 30 years.

Popular music has been on the wane since 1974, the year of the first Bad Company release.

Uzzah: Popular music has been on the wane since 1974, the year of the first Bad Company release.

It just might behoove you to rise above your classic rawk education...just a helpful pointer...:)

deevo: REM died when Berry left, in my mind.

Thread over, deevo has spoken a profound truth.

Sgt Oddball: Thread over, deevo has spoken a profound truth.

Maybe a profound opinion. The truth is that they've put out perfectly good music since.

HappyHarryHardOn: Get off the side of the pretentious turnpike Micheal.
And take those shiny happy people with you assh*le.


Damn you, sir. Your reference, while not completely accurate, is just what I came here to say.

/cool Fark name, too
//would you like whale sperm with that?

Uzzah: Popular music has been on the wane since 1974, the year of the first Bad Company release.

I bet you have a "Keep on Truckin'" bumpersticker on your van.

/kidding

cubsfan07, I tried my best, so:

Dynascape:But it made me reminiscent of all the 80s and 90s alternative and how good some of it was.

Much like grunge killed off hair metal, I wish 90s-style alternative come back to murder this whiny emo tripe thats on the radio now.

The Pixies > Any moronic emo band
My first THIS.

/wouldn't mind grunge either, honestly

whidbey: He had an aneurysm and quit the band after "New Adventures"

Jeeze, that's pretty grim. Never followed the band so that's news to me. Thanks for the followup.

Kyosuke: When has REM ever "rocked," and when has anyone ever like them for it?

Listen to a track called "Departure" on the New Adventures album. It rocks with gusto.

And that "anyone" is me. They're my favorite band. So fark you.

deevo: REM died when Berry left, in my mind.
In the studio, maybe. On the road, most definitely not. I've been listening to their Live album, and I can tell you that it rocks incredibly hard.

Oh, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi is one of the most overlooked / underappreciated albums of the 90's.

Mr_Fabulous: Kyosuke: When has REM ever "rocked," and when has anyone ever like them for it?

Listen to a track called "Departure" on the New Adventures album. It rocks with gusto.

Track #6 - Leave

Starts off with a mellow string arrangement, and then at about 1:03, the klaxons blare and the song rocks you like your momma never could.

REM=MEH

/ducks

I thought "Up" was a wonderful new direction, but by the end of "Reveal," they had already played it out. "Around the Sun" broke my heart, it was so bad. I have a feeling several more listens might elevate it to "meh".

Anyway, I'm willing to give them another shot, and still consider them my favorite band.

I don't like most of what came after 'Automatic for the People' but I actually liked 'Up.' The last REM album I bought was the Best of, and mostly for the Video DVD. I'll probably never buy another REM album, but I will still go see them tour.

/cheesecake, jellybean, BOOM!

Shrapnel: REM=MEH

/ducks

Never got them either. Although all the whining from the alt-crowd in the mid-eighties when they allegedly sold out (a/k/a became commercially successful) was kind of amusing.

Wait a minute, this isn't about Britney Spears at all, what's it doing here?

Hi-Fi is one of the best albums ever. I am still baffled by people's resistance to it.

Up is great and experimental. You will eat the lotus and YOU WILL LIKE IT!

Reveal is sophisticated, mature and one of the band's best albums...provided you cut "Reno" and "Summer Turns to High."

Around the Sun was 15% Great, 30% Good songs mixed poorly and 55% Bono-coached suck. "Don't bother editing, just sing whatever spews out of your pen!" Thanks, asshole.

The band continues to be awesome live.

I STILL BELIEVE.

deevo: REM died when Berry left, in my mind.

This.

I thought Michael Stipe died from AIDS years ago.